Ex-Plateau state governor, Joshua Dariye, weeps as court sentence him to 14 years imprisonment for N1.1bn fraud

Former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption.

Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory High Court yesterday found him guilty of diverting N1.162 billion state ecological funds while he was governor between 1999 and 2007. He was first arraigned on a 23-count charge for the offence in 2007.

The presiding judge sentenced him to two years in prison for criminal breach of trust and 14 years for criminal misappropriation of funds.

The sentences are to run concurrently. The court gave no option of fine.

Mr Dariye is currently the senator representing Plateau West.

Dariye defected from PDP to APC in September 2016.

Former Plateau state governor, Joshua Dariye, pleaded with Justice Adebukola Banjoko to temper justice with mercy as she handed him a 14-year jail term for diverting N1.1 billion from the state when he was governor.

Counsel to Dariye, Paul Eroko, pleaded for the court to temper justice with mercy as his client was misled by some persons.

“Appeals to your judgement do not succeed, we will fall on your mercy. The prisons are congested. They misled the governor, it is the bank, they said he didn’t have to present anything.” he said

Counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, said Dariye did not deserve a light sentence because he “didn’t show remorse” and that a strong sentence would serve as a deterrence to those holding public offices.

“He is not remorseful, his case should serve as a deterrence,” Jacobs said.

At this point, Dariye said he wanted to speak.

“Have mercy, you are a Christian, your name is Jacob,” he said.

Justice Banjoko afterwards sentenced him to 14 years in jail without an option of fine. Dariye wept as she delivered her judgement.